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MTV Announces Two 'Jersey Shore' Spin-Offs

It looks like that Mayan calendar was off the mark by just a bit. Surely a sign that all is not well with the world, Jersey Shore stars Snooki, JWoww and Pauly D have all been given additional programs – and here I thought they were Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse.

The bronzed stars are currently filming the upcoming fourth season of Jersey Shore, which sees the guidos and guidettes venturing to Italy. Alas, there will be no rest for the wicked, as once JWoww, Pauly D and Snooki clear customs back on US soil, it’s right back to work on their as-yet-untitled ancillary programs.

Though there is little to go on at the moment, one of the spin-off’s will co-star Snooki and JWoww, while the other will be exclusive to Pauly D. According to the press release, the Snooki and JWoww series will see the two young ladies, “deal with life and love when the vacation is over...The locale may be different, but the friendship is sure to remain the same.”

That description is certainly vague, but it has… potential? It sounds remarkably similar to the original concept ofthe show they’re spinning off of. However, I’m sure MTV will find a way to “spin” the series so that it doesn’t feel like a string of Shore footage found on the editing room floor.

Meanwhile, the Paul DelVecchio (Pauly D, or DJ Pauly D to you) series will focus on the "jet-setting and often hilarious life on the road as one of the country's most in-demand DJs." Hitting the road with Pauly D and his hair will be DelVecchio’s real-life amigos from his hometown of Rhode Island.

Pauly D without The Situation sounds like a bit of a gamble, but also gives the series the best chance of developing fresh new characters and storylines. Perhaps we’ll be seeing one of Pauly D’s boys in his own offshoot one day.

MTV programming vice president Chris Linn spoke briefly about the programs and offered some insight into why the cable network thinks they have two more hits on their hands.

“Nicole, Pauly D and Jenni have become household names as a result of their unique, sometimes outrageous and often hilarious personalities. We’re excited to put the spotlight on their lives away from the shore as they pursue their individual passions, careers and relationships… Both series are fun, fresh ways for us to evolve what is an already successful brand for us.”

Over the course of three seasons, Jersey Shore has managed to become the most successful show in MTV programming history (take that, Beavis and Butt-Head), and certainly shows no signs of slowing down. While the network runs the risk of overexposure, the theory of striking while the iron is hot, is probably the most sound.

MTV has already ordered 12 episodes of each series, and hopes to see them air sometime in 2012.